Yesh Atid looks to topple gov’t over diplomatic posts

The opposition Yesh Atid party announces that it will put forward a no-confidence motion to topple the government on Monday, its second try since the formation of the government less than three weeks ago.

In a statement, the party says the motion is in response to the parceling out of various diplomatic tasks to a number of ministries and ministers, instead of appointing a foreign minister, a post Netanyahu has kept for himself.

“The decision does critical damage to Israel’s foreign relations, undermines our public diplomacy efforts and harms the strategic relations between Israel and the United States,” reads the motion, put forward by MK Yaakov Peri.

Under the current coalition makeup, Interior Minister Silvan Shalom is in charge of talks with the Palestinians, Water and Infrastructure Minister Yuval Steinitz deals with the Iranian nuclear issue, Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan is in charge of public diplomacy and Absorption Affairs Minister Zeev Elkin runs the Nativ agency, which deals with former Soviet states.

Netanyahu is thought to be keeping the Foreign Ministry post in his back pocket as a sweetener to bring Zionist Union head Isaac Herzog into the coalition, an offer Herzog has repeatedly refused.

In his last government, despite having a foreign minister in the person of Yisrael Beytenu head Avigdor Liberman, Netanyahu still had Justice Minister Tzipi Livni in charge of talks with the Palestinians and Steinitz, then strategic affairs minister, concentrating on thwarting the Iranian nuclear threat.